1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an oil circulation device for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In internal combustion engines, an oil circulation device in which an oil pan for storing oil is provided in the lower portion of the internal combustion engine body and which transports, by using an oil pump, oil in the oil pan to sliding parts (crankshaft, camshaft, piston) of the internal combustion engine is widely used.
In such an oil circulation device, because a displacement of the oil in the oil pan occurs due to, for example, an inertial force at the time of acceleration/deceleration of a vehicle, a centrifugal force at the time of turning, or inclination of the road surface, a device that keeps a suction mouth of the oil pump always inside the oil is necessary. For example, in an oil circulation device according to Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Registration Application Publication No. 5-57306, two separate recessed portions are formed in the bottom portion of the oil pan and the respective bottom portions of the individual recessed portions are connected to each other by a communication pipe. Then, a strainer that constitutes the oil pump suction mouth is arranged in one of the two recessed portions. According to this configuration, when oil subjected to an inertial force or the like moves, because the inside of the oil pan is divided into two recessed portions, the amount of movement (displacement) of the oil is reduced, and it becomes easy to maintain the oil pump suction mouth inside the oil (below the oil surface). Moreover, because the two recessed portions are connected at their bottom portion by the communication pipe, the heights of the oil surfaces of the two recessed portions are constantly maintained equal to each other.